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Religious Literacy Leadership in Higher Education

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Religious Literacy Leadership in Higher Education Religious Literacy Leadership Religious Literacy Leadership in Higher in Higher Education Education Programme c/o York St John University Lord Mayor’s Walk York YO31 7EX Published 2010 by Religious Literacy Leadership Leadership Challenges: Case Studies in Higher Education Programme T: 01904 876272 ISBN 978-0-9565402-2-5 E: [email protected] Copyright © Religious Literacy Leadership www.religiousliteracyHE.org in Higher Education Programme 2010 Adam Dinham and Stephen H Jones Leadership challenges Case studies Case studies Religious Literacy Leadership in Higher Education Leadership Challenges: Case Studies Adam Dinham and Stephen H Jones Leadership challenges Contents Case studies 1 Food and accommodation Exams and timetabling 15 Religious observance in halls of residence 30 1 Lectures on a Saturday 2 16 Choice in the college canteen 32 2 Exams during Ramadan 4 Alcohol, bars and events Good campus relations 17 End of term celebrations 34 3 Anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism 6 18 Organisation of freshers’ week 36 4 Rumours about provision for Muslims 8 5 Extremism in the university 10 Admissions and registry 19 Attracting local students 38 Student societies and clubs 20 Interview scheduling 40 6 Autonomy of student societies 12 7 Religious speech on campus 14 Research 8 Personal harassment in a sports club 16 21 Academic freedom and research on martyrdom 42 Student support 22 Researching faith and sexuality 44 9 Religiously sensitive counselling 18 )DLWKDQGVWXGHQWƂQDQFH 20 Chaplaincy 11 Recognition for chaplains 22 12 Establishing a GOR 24 Teaching and curricula 13 References to religion 26 14 Foundational knowledge 28 Case studies Case Studies: Resources for Religious Literacy Leadership in Higher Education In the following case studies we are seeking to complement our conceptual analysis with examples of real-life challenges and dilemmas posed by religious faith in university settings. These are derived from examples encountered in primary research in three Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and in conversations with vice-chancellors (VCs), students and staff. They have been altered to preserve anonymity. 7KHVHFDVHVWXGLHVKDYHEHHQGHYHORSHGWRUHƃHFWERWKWKHSROLF\FRQFHUQVWKDW9&VDUHDVNHGWRHQJDJH ZLWKLQWKHDUHDVWKHSURJUDPPHKDVLGHQWLƂHGDQGWKHSUDFWLFDODUHQDVLQZKLFKGLOHPPDVDULVH(DFK FDVHVWXG\LGHQWLƂHVWRRQHGHJUHHRUDQRWKHUWKHTXHVWLRQVUDLVHGLQUHODWLRQWRHTXDOLWLHVDQGGLYHUVLW\ widening participation and social mobility, student experience and good campus relations. However, the case studies are not organised solely around these domains but, rather, focus on the places and spaces in which students and staff might encounter religious faith. This recognises that in real life, these dilemmas and challenges will arise in messy, contingent ways rather than systematically, and many will cut across policy areas and the practical spaces for addressing them. In some cases, registry, chaplaincies, student support services, examinations and many others may all be implicated in one ‘case’ or dilemma. The case studies presented here are, of course, indicative rather than representative or exhaustive. They give some sense of the sorts of dilemmas that arise and what they relate to, conceptually and in policy. Each case study also highlights the major issues that arise, drawing on our analysis of the literature and policy more widely. We have then related these issues to resources for addressing them and hope that this will be useful in supporting universities’ own engagement with the dilemmas they face. We have also proposed some possible responses, drawing on what others have done in similar situations. These responses occasionally mention different approaches to religion and belief in higher education (HE), referring to HEIs that see themselves as ‘neutral’, ‘formative-collegial’, or ‘committed to social justice’. These different approaches are outlined in more detail in the accompanying publication, An Analysis of Challenges of Religious Faith, and Resources for Meeting them, for University Leaders. They are intended as a way of stimulating debate about the best way of reacting to increasing levels of religious diversity in university settings. Overall, the aim is that the analysis that emerged from An Analysis of Challenges of Religious Faith, and Resources for Meeting them, for University Leaders can be recognised, debated and applied in these concrete examples. In this way they can be used as a tool for locating university leaders’ practices and DWWLWXGHVWRUHOLJLRXVIDLWKLQYHU\H[SOLFLWZD\V:HKRSHWKDW9&VDQGRWKHUVWDIILQ+(ZLOOƂQGWKHFDVH VWXGLHVKHOSIXOLQDWOHDVWWZRZD\VƂUVWIRUFRQVROLGDWLQJH[LVWLQJVWDQFHVDQGUHƃHFWLQJH[SOLFLWO\RQ what roots them and how they can be sustained and built upon; and second, for identifying alternative approaches in ways that support highly religiously literate responses. For more information and contact details visit www.religiousliteracyhe.org 1 Leadership challenges Exams and timetabling 1 Lectures on a Saturday $XQLYHUVLW\ŒVPHGLFDOGHJUHHUHTXLUHVVWXGHQWVWRDWWHQGFODVVHV on a Saturday, some of which are based not on campus but at a local hospital. A number of the Jewish students taking the course do not feel able to attend these classes as they fall on the Sabbath. However, without taking part they will not be able to successfully FRPSOHWHWKHFRXUVHDVWKLVRQVLWHWUDLQLQJLVRQHRILWVUHTXLUHG components. In addition, the day on which the classes take place FDQQRWEHDOWHUHGEHFDXVHWKH\KDYHWRƂWLQZLWKWKHWLPHWDEOH RIWKHKRVSLWDO7KLVPHDQVWKDWDVRQHRIWKHXQLYHUVLW\ŒVHTXDOLW\ DQGGLYHUVLW\ ( ' RIƂFHUVFRPPHQWVVRPHRIWKHVWDIIWKDWUXQ the course sometimes “feel in their gut, knowing from experience, that a particular person is not going to Be aBle to complete the course effectively”. Because it is not considered good practice to DVNVWXGHQWVDERXWWKHLUUHOLJLRXVDIƂOLDWLRQGXULQJWKHDSSOLFDWLRQ SURFHVVLWLVSURYLQJH[WUHPHO\GLIƂFXOWWRDYRLGWKHVHFODVKHV Issues to consider ř :KDWGRHVWKHODZVD\RQWKLVLVVXH and is it clear? ř ,VWKHXQLYHUVLW\XQGHUDQ\REOLJDWLRQ – legal or otherwise – to alter the time of the classes or to provide some alternative? ř $UHWKHUHDQ\RWKHURSWLRQVDYDLODEOH to staff at the university to try and PLQLPLVHWKHGLIƂFXOWLHVFUHDWHGE\ having these classes on a Saturday? Model responses Complying with the law a genuine business need. There is no alternative day on /HJDOO\ D XQLYHUVLW\ LV UHTXLUHG WR DYRLG DOO IRUPV RI LQGLUHFW which the course could reasonably be run. The university is discrimination, which means any practice which, although not therefore likely to have to alter its practices in order to DSSOLHGWRDOOGLVDGYDQWDJHVDVSHFLƂFUHOLJLRXVJURXS2QO\LID comply with the law. However, it will need to communicate SUDFWLFH FRQVWLWXWHV D JHQXLQH EXVLQHVV QHHG FDQ LW EH MXVWLƂHG both its decision and the process by which that decision was legally. In the above case, the students who are not able to work reached clearly and transparently to all the parties involved, on Saturdays for religious reasons are disadvantaged, as they preferably in advance. may not be able to complete their course. However, as there are limitations on staff and as another organisation is involved it is also the case that running the classes on Saturday is likely to constitute 2 Case studies Additional options Available resources In this case, there are other things the university may wish to do. Best practice in interviews and application forms is to avoid asking Details of a university’s legal obligations in relation VWXGHQWVDERXWWKHLUSHUVRQDOLQWHUHVWVVXFKDVSODFHRUIUHTXHQF\ to religion and belief can be found in the Advisory, of worship, communal involvement, or the religious ethos of any Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) guide Religion educational establishments attended. However, there is no rule and Belief in the Workplace: A Guide for Employers and against making clear what demands the course will make from Employees DQGWKH(TXDOLW\&KDOOHQJH8QLW (&8 JXLGH the outset. The Student Experience Report by the National Union Employing People in Higher Education: Religion and Belief: of Students (NUS) in 2008 indicated that 41 per cent of students www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/9/j/guide_religionB_1.pdf would like to be given an outline of a course timetable prior to arriving at university. It may be helpful for a university to consider ZZZHFXDFXNSXEOLFDWLRQVƂOHVHPSOR\LQJSHRSOHLQ including such details in early contact with students as part of a higher-education-religion-and-belief.pdf/view religious literacy strategy, and spelling out its position in relation to this. A guide to testing for reasonable accommodation is provided by St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and It is also worth noting that in this case the university is reacting Peace in their guide Religious Diversity in the Workplace: to the concerns of the students as and when they arise. In future, ZZZVWHWKHOEXUJDVRUJVLWHVGHIDXOWƂOHV5HOLJRXV when organising university timetables it may help to avoid similar 'LYHUVLW\LQWKH:RUNSODFH9SGI problems if religious considerations can be taken into account at DPXFKHDUOLHUVWDJHSHUKDSVE\XVLQJDFDOHQGDURIVLJQLƂFDQW (St Ethelburga’s can also be contacted directly about religious festivals and times of observance. Such calendars these resources at [email protected] or info@ are available from various sources (see below) and many E&D thebusinessoffaith.org) departments have their own calendars which can be easily disseminated. This may mean it is possible to negotiate strategic 6SHFLƂFDGYLFHDERXWWLPHWDEOLQJLQ+(LVJLYHQLQWKH DOWHUDWLRQVZLWKWKHKRVSLWDOSDUWQHUVXIƂFLHQWO\LQDGYDQFHWRWDNH
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